Simply that the reason Hudson was on such a short leash was because the Sox were in the middle of a pennant race and felt more comfortable with an established veteran.

We rolled the dice and probably lost, maybe broke even. We panic'd, dealt Hudson for Jackson, and missed the playoffs. If we don't resign Jackson, its probably a significant loss. As is, you could argue the fact that we ultimately dealt Hudson and a Closer for Jackson because of the salary.

I like Edwin Jackson, but it was simply the wrong move.

Not expecting much out of Carter, but you need guys to fill the minor league roster.

We rolled the dice and probably lost, maybe broke even. We panic'd, dealt Hudson for Jackson, and missed the playoffs. If we don't resign Jackson, its probably a significant loss. As is, you could argue the fact that we ultimately dealt Hudson and a Closer for Jackson because of the salary.

I like Edwin Jackson, but it was simply the wrong move.

Not expecting much out of Carter, but you need guys to fill the minor league roster.

I'd say wait until the season is over to say that. If the Sox win the world series in 2011, then I would say it was 100% the right move.

Gio's 1st season with Oakland at age 22(same as Hudson when he came up):
34IP, 1-4 with a 7.68 ERA in 7 starts

The next year in 17 starts: 6-7 with a 5.75 ERA

Do you really think the Sox would have let Gio progress the way Oakland has had the luxury of doing?

Hahah. Gio would have been lambasted in the press and burned in effigy outside the stadium. I don't know when we'll ever have the luxury of letting a youngster take his lumps in the future. Rebuild is not in the White Sox dictionary anymore it seems.

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March 16, 2005 - Another happy Sox fan joins the party!
July 6, 2012 - 7 years later he's still part of it...

Hahah. Gio would have been lambasted in the press and burned in effigy outside the stadium. I don't know when we'll ever have the luxury of letting a youngster take his lumps in the future. Rebuild is not in the White Sox dictionary anymore it seems.

Rebuild also coincides with "losing." If Gio has another year like 2010, how much longer do you think he stays in Oakland before Beane ships him out?

I can agree with that, but the idea Hudson as the 5 was hurting us more than Kotsay as the DH is a joke.

That said, if we miss the playoffs again, if the lack of a closer hurts and Hudson outpitches Jackson, its going to be very bad for Kenny.

This trade just has a chance to be a disastrous knee jerk reaction, similar to Swisher.

Remember, the idea was to trade for Jackson and flip him for Dunn. The Nats had agreed and then pulled out once the Sox got Jackson. So, the idea was to address Kotsay as DH. You can argue it's the Sox fault the Nats backed out, but I'd argue that at least the intent and thought processes were the right ones.

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I've been around the world and found that only stupid people are breeding.

Remember, the idea was to trade for Jackson and flip him for Dunn. The Nats had agreed and then pulled out once the Sox got Jackson. So, the idea was to address Kotsay as DH. You can argue it's the Sox fault the Nats backed out, but I'd argue that at least the intent and thought processes were the right ones.

Tom Boswell wrote it up in the Washington Post a few months ago after conversations with the Nats front office.

EDIT: Here's the story. See second page about 3 paragraphs from the bottom. I call that more than a rumor, but guess you could argue it is until Rizzo is quoted...depends on where you draw the line.

Almost no one here treats it as a rumor, since it does explain a lot of other bizarre moves the Nats have made. There is much more to this story, but the gist of it is that it is believed that Kasten left because he felt restricted.

__________________"I have the ultimate respect for White Sox fans. They were as miserable as the Cubs and Red Sox fans ever were but always had the good decency to keep it to themselves. And when they finally won the World Series, they celebrated without annoying every other fan in the country." Jim Caple, ESPN (January 12, 2011)

"We have now sunk to a depth at which the restatement of the (bleeding) obvious is the first duty of intelligent men." — George Orwell